Shoe-lace fastener.



PATENTED OUT. 11, 1904.

H. BLANKENSTEIN. SHOE LACE PASTENER. APPLICATION FILED 1320.3. 1902.

N0 MODEL.

UNITED STATES Patented October 11, 1904.

HANS BLANKENSTEIN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

SHOE-LAC E FASTENER- SPECIFICATION forming part .of Letters Patent No. 772,082, dated October 11, 1904.

Application filed December S, 1902. Serial No. 138,727. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HANS BLANKENSTEIN, a citizen of the German Empire, residing in New York, borough of Manhattan, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Shoe-Lace Fasteners, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to certain improvements in shoe-lace fasteners of that class in which an ordinary lace-shoe is used with a single lace which is attached at one end to the upper, then passed through the eyelets and over the hooks of the same in the usual manner, and retained at the upper end by being wound around a clamping device; and the invention consists of a shoe-lace fastener in which a single cord or string is used which is retained at its lower end by means of a button or other retaining device on the upper and passed first through the usual eyelets and over the hooks at the opposite edges of the upper, then around the shank of a clamping-button, so as to retain the upper end of the lace without tying the same. A second button on the opposite side of the upper serves for taking up and retaining an extra length of lace.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a shoe with my improved lace-fastener applied thereto. Figs. 2 and 3 are detail front views of the upper part of the shoe, showing the fastening of the lace, respectively, to one or two clamping-buttons. Fig. 4 is a detail vertical transverse section through one of the clamping-buttons on line 4 4, Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the rear of the button, and Fig. 6 is a rear view of the clamping-button with washer and part of shank removed.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

Referring to the drawings, S represents a shoe to which my improved shoe-lace-fastening device is applied and in which one end of the shoe string or lace A is provided with a stop or button a, which is attached thereto in any suitable manner. The string A itself may be made of a round or flat cord, a single string being used, which is passed in the usual manner first through the eyelets Z) and then over the hooks b at the upper part of the upper. The eyelets and hooks are of the same construction as those which are used in the wellknown lace-shoes. To the upper part of the upper, at each side of the front of the same, is applied a button C, the shank D of which is fiat and formed by two layers d, which when passed through the leather are upset on themselves and clenched into the leather of the upper, so as to retain the button firmly in position. A washer 6, having prongs e is placed on the shank of the button C and attached to the upper by clenching the prongs. The under side of the button is provided with two projections or teats c at diametrically opposite points and so arranged that the shoe string or lace when wound around the shank is clamped between the projections or teats e washer e, and shank D of the button, as shown in Fig. 4. The free end of the string or lace is securely fastened to the button and the shoe held thereby on the foot of the wearer. When the lacing is applied to the shoe, it is passed first through the lowermost eyelet Z2 until the stop or button wis retained in the same at the inside of the upper. The lacing-string is then passed successively through the different eyelets t and then alternately over the hooks 6 until the upper end reaches the top of the upper. The string is then wound around the shank of one of the buttons C. Before clamping the end of the string it has to be drawn sufliciently tight, so as to hold the shoe firmly to the foot of the wearer, the string being wound around the shank between the washer and head of the button, so as to retain it in position by the clamping, action of the button and washer. When the lacingstring is longer than requiredjso that a certain length is left after passing around one of the buttons 0, it is carried over and wound in opposite direction on the shank of the second when once applied, especially whether wound around one or two clamping-buttons, is not liable to play loose and open as the tied strings; third, that the lacing of the shoe is accomplished by the single string and clamping button or buttons in a quicker and more reliable manner than with two of the ordinary lacingstrings.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent A button for a shoe-upper for clamping the lacing of the shoe, comprising a circular head, a rectangular shank the ends of which are attached to the head and to the upper, a disk also attached to the upper, and projections 0r teats on the head of the button in proximity to the corners of the rectangular shank, the distance between the shank, teats on the head and disk, being such as to clamp the lacing when wound around the shank of the button, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have signed my name in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

HANS BLANKEN STEIN.

Witnesses:

PAUL GoErEL, HENRY J. SUHRBIER. 

